Veritas Mitre Plane

This Veritas low angle mitre plane is a recent addition to their already comprehensive line-up of high quality hand planes. The 5lb, 10-1/2inch by 2-5/8 inch, stress relieved, ductile cast iron body carries a bevel-up blade, bedded at the usual 12°, and ground to a 25° primary bevel angle.

As a mitre plane, its main body casting is flat and square as required, and the small shooting handle or horn, that can be used on either the right or left side, is comfortable enough in use.

The sides with their curved top edge do not favour the use of an enclosed track shooting board, which some people prefer. The blade is set square rather than skewed which permits right or lefthanded use. Its cousin, the Veritas shooting board plane with its skewed blade is arguably a better performing plane for shooting. A skewed edge gives a soft start because it enters the wood at one point only, rather than with the entire edge all at once and gives a lower effective cutting angle.

As a smoother it works well with so much mass that once moving it glides over the wood. However it is not as comfortable to use a normal smoother. In my opinion, although it is versatile, it is a somewhat in-between plane with some compromise in its shooting and smoothing abilities as it is hard to be all things in one tool.

I am, as usual, deeply impressed by the production capability of Veritas, and their command of all the latest design and manufacturing technology. I could probably have written much of this review without even seeing this plane. Its blade is exactly what I expected, its depth and lateral adjustment mechanism works as well as always, its sliding front plate mouth adjustment system with its stop screw works sweetly, the quality of its casting is excellent as usual, and so on. This reputation for quality has been well earned over many years, and this plane is further proof of it.

Australian Wood Review is Australia's premier woodworking and woodcraft magazine and covers everything the recreational and professional woodworker needs to know to help them create beautiful and inspired works from wood.